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Institutional sex abuse or sex assault occurs in every profession, including medical providers such as doctors, nurses, chiropractors, etc. Whether it’s in a hospital setting or a doctor’s office, sex abuse by medical professionals happens with alarming regularity.

In the last 5-10 years, our sex abuse victims law practice has seen an increase in the number of these cases. Increased media attention has created a situation where victims feel more comfortable coming forward. There is less stigma attached with being a victim of sex abuse now than there was 20 or 30 years ago.

Are Medical Boards Doing Enough?

One of the most troubling aspects of sex assault by doctors is the ease with which doctors and other licensed medical professionals are treated by state licensing boards. Many doctors seem to get a pass or get a mere slap on the wrist for sexually assaulting a patient.

An investigative report by a New Jersey newspaper last year revealed that disciplinary acts vary from doctor to doctor. In addition, many doctors who were convicted of or admitted to sexually abusing a patient were later allowed to be reinstated after having their licenses suspended or even revoked. There were cases of doctors in New Jersey who had their licenses reinstated with a condition, such as having a chaperone present during exams, and then got caught disregarding the condition. At least one doctor who had his license reinstated after sexually assaulting a patient went on to assault another patient. Source: www.northjersey.com, Discipline is spotty for abusive doctors in N.J.

In addition, hearings conducted by medical licensing boards are often closed to the public, and records of any such hearings are confidential. This means that the general public cannot access such records easily. It’s no wonder that reports of doctors sexually abusing patients in NJ have been on a steady rise over the last few years. Here’s a look at some of the most recent cases.

NJ Neurologist Gets License Suspended After Being Recorded Abusing a Female Patient

According to a November 2015 news release from the New Jersey Department of Consumer Affairs, Dr. Farooq Rehman’s medical license was temporarily suspended following allegations that he sexually abused a female patient. Rehman worked as a neurologist in Old Bridge, NJ. The patient alleged that while seeking treatment for her hand, the doctor touched her inappropriately on two occasions. During one exam, the patient recorded the doctor’s actions and even asked him if touching her genitals was necessary for treatment of her hand.

Paterson, NJ Pediatrician Accused of Groping Patients & Employees

Alex Sarkodie, a pediatrician and internist in Paterson, NJ has been accused of sexually abusing female patients and employees from 2013 to as recently as March 2016. The New Jersey medical licensing board has already issued a temporary suspension of his medical license.

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